Chennai: Children savouring custard payasam with mango dip, biriyani with raita to satisfy their taste buds, munching pakodas in between and wrapping up the lunch with a laddoo. While it is a common sight for many of us, do we consider it as normal if we witness the scene in an orphanage? Certainly not!
Humans toil hard work for a prime reason – providing three square meals to their family. However, not often do we give a thought to the homeless and orphaned people.
Sumithra Sekar’s Cafe with Care team has made it a point to visit orphanages, cook there and feed them with food, love and care.
In a tete-a-tete with News Today, Sumithra Sekar, the founder and her squad open up about their initiative.
“I always keep an eye out on my motherland although I have been living in Germany for the past 14 years. I became an active volunteer during the floods in Chennai and that got me on to do something for the city where I was born,” recalls Sumithra, an IT employee.
Talking about how Cafe with Care was started, she goes on to say, “Social media connected me with a lot of influencers during the deluge and I bumped on to Bangalore Seva Cafe which is run by Tharanath. Inspired by the idea, I decided to adapt and implement the same, in coordination with my friends in Chennai in 2016.”
As part of the initiative, the volunteers of Cafe With Care visit an orphanage every month, cook meals at their place and serve them. The volunteers divide their work among themselves, thus if a group is dicing vegetables, there will be another team to engage and entertain children till the meal is done.
On their first ever attempt, Sumithra says, “Our maiden event was held at Sri Arunodayam Trust. The response that we received in return was tremendous which drove us to continue doing it. And here we are, two years on.”
So how do they select the orphanage? To genuinely identify people who are in need of support, the volunteers scout for places and go for inspection two weeks in advance.
Based on the number of inmates, financial position of the home, availability of kitchen and other cooking equipment, they shortlist the needs and go ahead with their work.
GOING ORGANIC AND GREEN
“We are particular when it comes to purchasing fruits, veggies and grains. We know people who work hand in glove with farmers and we get our orders from there. We do not want to serve food that contain pesticides. For elders, we serve them millets as it is more healthy,” adds Vignesh, a volunteer.
TAKEAWAYS FOR LIFE
The volunteers unanimously go in short of words when they were asked about the happiness that they derive of it.
Talking about one such incident, Vignesh says, “I had gone to a home in Mudichur for inspection and an elderly woman, of my mother’s age, grabbed my hand and did not let me go. When we went back for serving them, with welled eyes, she blessed me. That moved me and I decided not to back off from serving people.”